


Comfort And Joy

by rubygirl29



Category: Stargate Atlantis, Stargate SG-1
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-12-22
Updated: 2011-12-22
Packaged: 2017-10-27 18:00:12
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,779
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/298508
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/rubygirl29/pseuds/rubygirl29
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Evan and Cam have an unexpected Christmas together.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Comfort And Joy

Babies come at all times of the year, even holidays. Cam was packing up his trunk with presents for his family. He was planning to drive to Kansas for the traditional Mitchell family Christmas extravaganza when his phone rang. He looked at the number. "Mom?"

"Cam, dear, your father and I are on our way to Florida. Kathy's baby decided to be a Christmas present instead of Baby New Year."

"That's quite a Christmas present." Cam was happy for his sister, for his parents. First baby, first grandchild.

"Cam, we won't be home for Christmas." His mom sounded worried, apologetic. "I hope you weren't all packed up already."

Cam ruefully considered his luggage. "No," he lied. "I was just finishing breakfast."

"I don't suppose you can join us?"

"Sorry, mom. I can't. I could barely get enough time away to go to Kansas. Hey, mom, it's your first grand-baby. Tell Kath and Mike that they'll be great parents." His voice was a bit rough. He cleared his throat. "Call me when you can."

"We will. I'm so sorry, dear. But we'll have a Christmas another time."

"Yeah. Merry Christmas, mom. Tell dad not to spoil that grandbaby too much."

"Merry Christmas, Cam. We'll miss you. Oh, dear, they're calling our flight."

"Miss you, too." Wendy disconnected. Cam powered down his phone. He sighed and took the suitcases and bags of presents out of his trunk. He lugged them back inside and stood looking around his lonely apartment. No Yuletide here. Well, that was a sorry sight. He didn't even have a tree. No food in the refrigerator, either, since he had planned on being in Kansas for a week. Now, he'd have to go to the grocery store, too. _Joy to the world and Bah, humbug!_ , he muttered.

The grocery store was jammed with last-minute shoppers. He got a few sympathetic looks from women as he picked up some frozen dinners, eggs, milk, and bread. They were selling wreaths made of bay leaves and holly at the front of the store. He picked one out and paid for it. Two blocks down, the bright lights of a Christmas tree lot caught his eye. He pulled in and walked through the rows of trees, some cut, others with root balls. The attendant came over to him.

"Looking for a tree?"

"Yeah. A small tree."

"Live or cut?"

"Do you have a live tree small enough for an apartment?"

"One or two. And if you return the tree to us intact, we'll plant it to repopulate a logged-out area. We'll give you a discount on the price, too."

"Sounds good to me." Cam picked out a small spruce and tied it to the top of his car. He drove home with Christmas carols playing on the radio. He still didn't feel much like a holiday, but he dutifully hung his wreath and brought the tree inside. He rooted through his storage locker and found his Christmas tree lights. It have been a while since he had used them, but they still worked.

His mom had given him some of his favorite ornaments from his childhood, including several jet fighters that his dad had made for him out of balsa wood. Cam treasured them. There were a few he remembered making in school, and a few that Kathy had made. Hard to believe he was going to be Uncle Cam. He was unlikely to have kids. Him and Lorne ... who was also an uncle.

 _Damn,_ he wished he hadn't thought of Evan. Suddenly, he lost his desire to decorate the tree. He had been aware of that ache of loneliness all day; a small bruise that he shied away from pressing. Last Christmas had been a miracle with Evan winning some sort of lottery that sent him home for the holidays. He'd found Cam on Christmas Eve at his folks'. It had been great. This year, not so much. Evan was in Atlantis, and Cam was on Earth. At least Evan had his friends. Cam's team was off skiing in Aspen, Teal'c was with his people, and Cam was alone. On Christmas.

"Well, this sucks," Cam said to his walls. Even Scrooge had Marley for company on Christmas Eve. He turned off his tree lights, put on his coat and walked the two short blocks to the _Pegasus_ pub. At least he could have a drink and a burger with the bartender.

Cam stayed there, playing darts and drinking a bit too much with some guys from SG-12. The bartender gave last call at 10pm, reminding his complaining customers that it _was_ Christmas Eve, and he had a family. They left, some more drunk than others, but either walking or with designated drivers. Cam was ... morose. For the last few hours, he'd managed to ignore that ache again, but as he walked back home, it came back in full force. He felt a light chilly touch on his cheek, then another. Snow.

He turned his face upwards and watched the flakes blur the Christmas lights into softer colors. He shivered in the suddenly cold wind. Home and a fire sounded pretty good, even if it was a lonely place. He started walking, taking his time. It wasn't as if he had to be anywhere in a hurry.

^*^*^*^*^*^*^

Evan Lorne stood on the bridge of the _Daedalus_ watching the stars swirl past. He was carrying a piece of Ancient technology that Rodney found intriguing because it worked for people born with the ATA gene, but not with those inoculated with the therapy. Beckett was baffled. Even after every trick he knew, there were still questions that might be better answered at SGC. Sending Sheppard was out of the question. Lorne, off active duty due to an injured knee, had been the logical choice. He wasn't going to argue with the chance to be on Earth for the holidays, even if Cam was going to be in Kansas for Christmas, and he would be stuck in a lab at SGC.

The faint _bump_ as they dropped out of hyperspace brought him back to the bridge and the present. It wouldn't be long now ...

Colonel Caldwell stood at his side. "We'll be in orbit around Earth in three hours, Major. Looks like you'll be home for Christmas."

"I'll bet the halls at SGC are all decked, sir."

Caldwell gave him a sharp look. "I thought you'd be happy about that."

"Considering I'm going there to be a guinea pig for Ancient tech, I doubt I'll have time to enjoy the holiday festivities."

"You'd better watch out, or you'll have people calling you Evaneezer, major."

 _That wasn't a wink, was it?_

Evan went to his quarters and packed. There wasn't much. Clean BDUs, boots, jeans and a sweater, a storm coat, because you never knew what the weather would be or where he'd have to go. The usual stuff. That took all of fifteen minutes. He grimaced as he bent his knee to lower himself to the bunk. A bit of sleep wouldn't hurt. He set the timer on his watch and closed his eyes. Then his brain started thinking ...

Cam. Christmas ... he was probably going home for the holidays if he wasn't off on some alien planet saving the universe. Hell, sometimes Kansas seemed like a different world. It was certainly different from the one he had been raised in ... San Francisco, liberal, artistic parents, a gay couple for his godparents. Acceptance and love regardless of what decisions he made. Cam had grown up in the conservative heart of the Bible Belt. His folks were great, but Evan wasn't sure they realized he and Cam were more than close friends. Maybe they just didn't _want_ to admit it. He only knew when he went to Kansas with Cam, they slept in separate rooms.

Cam and Christmas, so close and so far away. Caldwell was right. His Christmas spirit was as lively as Scrooge's before Marley's ghost showed up. He heard Caldwell's announcement that they were preparing for Earth orbit. He sighed, shouldered his duffel and limped to the control room for beam down.

Somebody had a weird sense of humor, Lorne thought when he re-materialized in the gateroom. A ball of mistletoe hung from the Stargate. He guessed they weren't expecting much activity on Christmas Eve. Of any kind.

"Merry Christmas, sir. Welcome home." He motioned to a hefty marine to carry Lorne's duffel.

"Thank you, Sergeant. So, where to first?"

"The infirmary, sir."

"Of course." Lorne sighed. The usual medical tests and debrief would take at least an hour; longer if they decided to give him an MRI on his knee. Of course, they did. And when the results showed nothing more than inflammation, they gave him a shot of cortisone and sent him on his way.

He stood in the corridor, uncertain as to where he should go next. As if on cue, Walter reappeared. "Sir, General Landry would like to see you for the military debrief."

Evan was surprised that the General was here on Christmas Eve. "I should freshen up," he told Walter.

"No time, sir. The General would like to leave early."

"Right. What about you?"

"I drew the short straw, sir. I have New Year's Eve off." He left him at Landry's door. Evan knocked softly and entered.

"Sir?"

"Ah, Major Lorne. Have a seat and take your weight off that knee."

"I'm fine, sir."

"Sit down, major."

He sat. After asking several pointed questions and taking notes, Landry sat back in his chair. "Thank you, major. That was a quite a trip you took to get here."

"It wasn't too bad, sir. I suppose Dr. Lee would like to see me now." He tried not to sigh.

"Son, it's Christmas Eve. We've got a skeleton crew on tonight and tomorrow. Take some time, go visit friends. Rest your knee. I'll have Walter call a car for you."

He didn't want to say he had no place to go. It wasn't exactly true. He had a key to Cam's condo. Even if Cam wasn't there, he could spend the holiday in comfort and it wouldn't be begrudged, just very lonely. "Thank you, sir."

"Merry Christmas, major."

"Merry Christmas, sir."

During the drive to Colorado Springs, Evan realized he hadn't eaten since he'd beamed down from the _Daedalus_ , and Cam probably had emptied out his refrigerator before leaving town. He told the driver to let him off at the Pegasus Pub. He got out of the car just as the lights went out.

 _Damn,_ he cursed under his breath. Well, Cam had oatmeal. He could always hunt down a more substantial breakfast in the morning. He'd lived on power bars for days in the past, when a hot dish of oatmeal would have tasted like ambrosia. He'd survive.

"Sir? Can I take you anywhere else?"

"No thanks, I'm fine." He took a deep breath. His knee ached dully, but he needed the air and the exercise. He waved the driver off and started walking. The snow was falling, sparkling, whirling in the twinkling lights. It reminded him of last Christmas with Cam. He wouldn't have that this year, but maybe next.

He shoved his hands in his pockets. He knew he had forgotten something. Gloves. It figured. He set off at a brisk pace. As he walked the snowfall increased; from a few flakes to a fall of feathers, thick and soft. They floated overhead in the beams of the streetlights like glitter in a snow globe. Evan tilted his head up and felt the chilly touch on his eyes, his cheeks, his hair. Magic, until they started melting and running down his jacket collar. Cold reality set in. That was life. He tugged up his collar and squinted into the light ahead. A tall shape of a man pausing in the beam of the next streetlight. Like Lorne had, he stopped and tilted his head up to the lights.

Evan's 20/10 vision didn't play him false, but he gasped in disbelief. He called out, "Cam!" The snow muffled his voice. He walked faster, almost running, the soles of his boots sliding a bit on the icy sidewalk. "Cam! Wait up!" He didn't know if it was his voice, his footsteps, or just plain intuition on Mitchell's part that made him stop and turn. Evan skidded into his arms just as his weakened knee gave way.

"Whoa," Cam said and caught him before he fell. "Easy." It took another second before his eyes widened in shocked surprise. "Evan? He tilted Evan's face to his and studied him as if his eyes weren't focusing correctly. "What the hell are you doing here? And what's with the knee?" he asked.

As usual, Cam's mind was six steps ahead of his mouth. Evan held tight to his arms. "Just kiss me, first, will you? Maybe wish me Merry Christmas?"

Cam obliged willingly, brushing his chilly lips over Evan's, whispering, "Merry Christmas," in an awed, disbelieving voice. "You're freezing," he said. "Let's step it up."

"Sure. You go ahead and I'll just gimp along behind you."

Cam snorted. "Sorry." He held Evan close to his side. "Better?"

"Much." He slid his arm around Cam's waist beneath the warmth of his jacket. "Much better."

They started walking, not quite as quickly as they had been. Cam held him closer as he shivered. "So, what happened?"

"Wrenched my knee going after a Wraith."

"Did you get him ... it ... whatever?"

"Yeah." Evan grinned. "He happened to walk into a doorway I'd rigged with C-4."

"Remind me not to piss you off."

"Relax, I left the C-4 off-world."

"That doesn't explain why you're here -- not that I'm complaining -- but is it serious?"

"Nah. I just can't go running around alien worlds for a few weeks, so when we discovered this bit of --" He broke off, looked around as if somebody might be within hearing distance.

Cam laughed and shook his head. "Afraid Santa might hear?"

"I'm cold," Even pointed out with a shiver. "Can we _please_ go home now?"

"Home." Cam smiled. "Home sounds good."

^*^*^*^*^*^*^

It was good, and, unexpected. He had expected a chilly and empty apartment. Instead, he had a Christmas tree and Cam. "Why aren't you in Kansas?" Evan asked, his eyes reflecting points of light from the Christmas tree. He touched a branch. "Wow, a real tree."

"I'm about to become an uncle. Kath's baby decided to come in time for Christmas."

"Good for little he-she."

"I'll find out as soon as Mom calls me back. Kath and Mike know, but they want it to be a surprise ... first baby. First grandbaby. That beats old boring Cam by a longshot."

"Bet it's a boy. My sister's first baby, she did the same thing. She wanted to surprise her dad. I think my mom knew. They usually do. As for boring ... I don't think so." Evan turned to him, slid his arms around Cam's waist and pulled him close.

Cam bent close and nibbled gently from his jaw to his earlobe. "Your ears are still cold," he whispered. Cam's lips were warm, and Evan thought Cam had the most beautiful mouth, tender now as he bent his head to kiss him.

That sweet mouth made Evan weak. He would never tire of kissing this man, of his taste and warmth, of the strength of his arms and the truth of his heart. "I never expected this," he whispered into Cam's mouth. "Not you, not this, not Christmas."

"But it's good?"

"Better than good. The best. Makes me wonder what happens next."

"Hot chocolate with homemade marshmallows from mom?"

"God, why aren't you fat?" Evan asked, his hands on Cam's hard waist. "The way she feeds you ... and I have to train for a damn marathon every day to stay fit."

"Ha, ha. Most of the time I'm eating at the mess. Nothing like blue jello to put you off your feed."

Evan had to laugh. "Whoever thought blue was a good color for food?"

Cam looked stricken. "Food. God. You haven't eaten."

"I was going to have oatmeal."

"Bah, humbug." Cam kissed him lightly once more. "I don't suppose frozen dinners are any worse than MREs."

Evan grimaced. He didn't really want frozen turkey for Christmas Eve dinner."I think I can do better than that. Take me to your refrigerator."

Cam didn't cook. Evan's mom wouldn't let him move away from home until he knew the basics. She had been afraid he'd ruin his body and teeth with junk food and take-out. Cam had eggs, bacon, pasta, and bread. Evan made spaghetti carbonara topped with buttery croutons. No veggies, but he found some cans of V8 and a bottle of vodka for spicy Bloody Marys.

Cam, despite having had a burger at the Pegasus, ate like he hadn't eaten for days. When he had finished, he looked at Evan and patted his stomach. "I think I'm going need some exercise."

Evan grinned. "I can help with that."

Cam frowned at him, concern clear in his eyes. "I was thinking that I'd do the dishes while you ice your knee. You've been limping ever since you walked through that door."

"The cold makes me ache. Ice on top of ice ..." he shivered.

Cam looked at him and sighed. "At least put your leg up, then. Light the fire."

Evan pushed away from the table and went into the living area. Cam had one of those gas fireplaces that turned on with a remote. Evan pushed the button and watched the flames start up instantly. He mused that there was no Ancient tech that could compare to the simple joys of being able to light a fire with the flick of a button. Except the showers that seemed to sense exactly what temperature you wanted ...

Evan lay down on the couch. He was tired. He hadn't slept well on the _Daedalus_ and it was beginning to catch up with him. He fought to stay awake by concentrating on the small sounds of dishes and water running as he waited for Cam, but his eyes closed and he drifted off in a pleasant haze of warmth, comfort, and Cam humming Christmas carols in his slightly cracked baritone.

It was just a few minutes of light slumber. He opened his eyes to see Cam rooting through a cardboard box and taking out little packets of newspaper. He watched as Cam opened one of them and took out a tiny biplane. He held it strung from the tip of his finger and gave it a spin, a soft smile curving his lips.

"I thought those were in Kansas," Evan said.

"Some of them are. Some of them mom packed up for me before my first deployment. She wanted me to have a piece of home wherever I was sent. Even in Afghanistan when the only tree I had was a bare branch stuck in a combat boot ..." he smiled. 'I had my planes and brass shell casings ... It was pretty pathetic, but it was home and Christmas."

Evan held out his hand. "Help me up and we'll decorate your tree."

"Do you like egg nog?" Cam asked.

"Hate it. The only part I like is the bourbon."

Cam grinned. "I'll be right back." He returned with two whiskey glasses and a bottle of fine bourbon. "And _this_ is from my dad."

The whiskey tasted good. Strong, smooth, smoky. Cam turned on the radio and they hung ornaments; Cam telling Evan the story behind them as they strung them up. He reached up and set a glittering Moravian star on the top. "I think that's it," he said.

Evan took a step back to appraise their work. Cam stood behind him taking him in an embrace. "This is how it should be," he said. "This is how I want it to be."

Evan tilted his head slightly and kissed the angle of Cam's jaw. There was such conviction in Cam's voice, such tenderness and hope. "I love you," he said.

"I love you more."

"Prove it." Evan turned out of Cam's arms and pulled him back to the couch. "I traveled across two galaxies for this." He easily tipped an unresisting Cam prone on the couch and proceeded to work on getting him out of his clothes; his USAF sweatshirt, his olive green t-shirt, and was about to unbuckle his belt when Cam's cell rang. Evan paused, his cheek resting on Cam's flat stomach. "Don't answer it," he sighed, knowing that Cam would. He took it out of Cam's jeans pocket, his fingers brushing lightly across Cam's erection, and handed the phone over to him.

Cam's conversation was pretty much one-sided. "A boy? That's great! Eight pounds four ounces, looks just like dad? Gee, that's too bad." And a laugh. "Just joking, mom. Hey, mom, don't cry. I'm not alone. Evan made it to Colorado for Christmas. Yeah, it is great. Tell him yourself." He passed the phone to Evan.

"Merry Christmas, ma'am." Evan felt the tips of his ears growing hot as he blushed. For God's sake, he was stretched out over Cam's half-naked body and he was talking to his _mom_. Did it get more weird than that? "Yes, ma'am, I've got him right here. We just put up the tree. We -- I -- sure will. Merry Christmas to you and congratulations on that grandson. I can hear him yelling. Sounds just like Cam."

Cam snatched to phone away. "Merry Christmas, mom. Tell dad I love him, too." He turned off the phone. "Sounds just like me?"

Evan laughed, happy in Cam's arms. "Yeah, like the time the hot water cut off while you were in the shower."

"I imagine the feeling is kind of similar," Cam pulled Evan down. "Now, where were we?"

"I bookmarked the site." Evan smiled and turned his attention back to Cam's belt. He unsnapped his jeans, opened the zipper to free Cam's erection and pulled his jeans and briefs off. He sat back, admiring his lover's body. "Best present I ever got," he murmured.

"Even if it is off the scratch-and-dent shelf?"

"Don't." Evan was suddenly serious. He touched Cam's scars, kissed them. "It's all beautiful," he said. "The best." He leaned down, tasted Cam and kissed that bittersweet taste back into his mouth where it mingled with the tang of whiskey. Whiskey and sex ... both intoxicating, yet neither as intoxicating as Cam.

He sat up and pulled off his sweater. While Cam watched him, he slowly opened his jeans and stepped out of them. Cam ran a finger from the notch in his collarbone, down his chest and abdomen, down to the nest of dark curls. The heat of his hands cradled Evan's balls.

"We should go to bed," he whispered.

"I like it here by the fire. Wait." Evan got up, walked naked into the bedroom and returned a moment later with pillows and lube. Cam had spread out the afghan and quilt he kept in the chest he used as a coffee table. The room was dimly lit by the small lights on the tree and the flames in the fireplace.

Cam knelt before Evan, worshipped him with his mouth, drew him down to the blankets. Evan wasn't sure when he had gone from seducer to seduced, but he wanted it back; he wanted Cam under him, around him, a part of him. He rolled Cam to his back, silenced the half-laughing protest with a hard kiss.

Evan's hair, longer than it had been, fell forward over his eyes, and Cam threaded his fingers through the silky strands. Evan burrowed his forehead into Cam's palms, enjoying the strength and the warmth.

He felt Cam being moving beneath him, felt their cocks touch and rub, felt the slickness of their come. It was simple, just two bodies fitting together. Evan slicked up his fingers, letting the heat of his hands warm the lube before he worked it into Cam's body with his fingers; stretching him gently and then when Cam grabbed his arms, he pushed into Cam's body, still slow, still patient until he felt his body loosen and take him in.

It was heat and movement, rhythm and jagged breaths and the sound that Cam made when he came that was both raw and exhilarated as if he were being torn apart and fused back together.

Evan echoed that cry as he ejaculated into Cam, as he drove deeper, buried his cock in his lover's body until he thought nothing would part them -- and then he stopped thinking and just felt.

His arms were shaking as he lowered himself carefully onto Cam's sweat-damp chest. They would start shivering soon, despite the heat of the fire, but for now, Evan didn't want to move. He didn't want to wash away the scent and feel of sex, or break the spell love had woven into their bodies.

"Merry Christmas," Cam whispered.

"The best."

"You're shivering."

"Warm me up."

Cam pulled the quilt over them and made sure Lorne was covered. Their legs tangled and Cam's body surrounded him. He would have stayed there for the rest of his life, but his knee began to ache, and Cam's old injuries were acting up. They looked at each other and sighed.

"The scratch-and-dent shelf," Cam said ruefully as he helped Evan up from the floor. They headed to the bedroom for a shower and sleep.

^*^*^*^*^*^*^

Evan woke up in the middle of the night. Cam was breathing gently, his breath brushing Evan's shoulder, his arm heavy over his waist, his hand just gently cupping Evan's sex through the flannel sleep pants he wore. It felt too good to move, but other parts of his body were telling him to get up. He slid out of bed and put on Cam's USAF sweatshirt. It was too big, but it smelled like Cam.

He used the bathroom, then went out into the living room. He switched on the tree lights. This was always his favorite part of Christmas Eve. Looking at the multi-colored lights in a dark room, the promise of the unopened presents under the tree. His family had never made a big deal out of the holidays, but they did have a Christmas tree and presents even in Cabo San Lucas where his mom loved to paint.

He sat on the couch, knees drawn up. His hands folded across them, his chin on his forearms. He didn't hear Cam come out of the bedroom; didn't see how his face softened as he looked at Evan, or the small box he palmed as he came to the front of the couch.

"Merry Christmas," he said, and held out the box.

Evan blinked at him uncertainly. "What ...?"

Cam opened the box. Inside was a chased silver band. He went down on one knee. "I love you, I'll aways love you. Marry me."

Evan was stunned into speechlessness. He was totally incoherent for the first time in his life. "You're crazy, you know that, right?" Cam looked hurt and Evan leaned down to kiss him. "When all this insanity is over, if we both survive, when we're old and gray and retired ..."

"Wait. You don't know? You really don't know?"

"Know what?"

"The news. You haven't heard the news?"

"I've been on the _Daedalus_ for the last ten days.

"Caldwell didn't say anything?"

"What does he have to do with this?"

Cam stood, went to the window and looked out at the falling snow. "Evan, the Senate voted to repeal DADT on December 18th. It's over. The military has a year to figure things out, and conduct sensitivity training, but after that ... "

Evan stood up; his knees were weak even without the injury and he pitched forward into Cam's waiting arms. "Seriously?" he marveled. "It's over?"

"Pretty much. So, Evan Lorne, when this shakedown cruise is over, will you marry me?"

"In a heartbeat."

Cam beamed at him, so happy that it made Evan's breath catch in his throat. He felt the cool slide of metal on his finger. It was a bit loose, but they had a year to resize it. One year. He thought the joy would overwhelm him.

The world outside was glittering, the falling snow clinging to every branch and bough reflected the Christmas lights like precious gems. Cam held him close, but it would never be close enough. To love and be loved, to be given the gift of comfort and the promise of joy. It was everything he had ever hoped for and wished for. It was Christmas.

 **The End**


End file.
